Field
This disclosure relates generally to components coupled to the power distribution grid, and more specifically to systems and methods for replacing obsolete components coupled to the power distribution grid.
Background Information
In electric power systems substations, cabinets are used to house equipment of various types. These cabinets may be installed outdoors, in which case they are designed to protect the equipment from the elements (rain, cold, heat, etc.). A lockable front door is used to access the equipment for maintenance and to protect it from unauthorized access.
Depending on the size and the specific communication requirements of the substation, the type of equipment inside the cabinet may vary, but will often be a combination of an Intelligent Electronic Devices (IEDs), Remote Terminal Units (RTU) and other I/O devices, connectors, cables, modems, radios, batteries and power supplies. As a whole, the equipment plays a critical role in an electric power system since they collect data from the substation (e.g. voltage, current, alarm indications) and perform remote control operations (e.g. open a breaker).
Space is often very limited in these cabinets. Hence, the equipment is usually installed very closely together and the wiring between devices is customized to fit perfectly. Replacing faulty equipment often requires using the exact same make and model to avoid any rewiring or worse, redesigning the entire layout of the equipment. For cases in which a new model of a component is desired, often a complete or near-complete rewiring of the devices in the cabinet is required. Such rewiring is expensive, time consuming, and prone to errors.
A more efficient and cost-effective way to replace components stored inside cabinets is desired.